Egyptian Lapis Lazuli Scarab

Modelled as a seated plump female figure; the right hand touching the pubic area beneath the rounded abdomen, wearing a tall headdress of thick braids, falling on her shoulders, smooth back with a vent hole; chipped at left foot and arm. 373 grams, 15.5 cm



with Superior Galleries, Los Angeles, USA. Ex Dr W. Benson Harer, Los Angeles, USA, March 1985.

Baubo was a minor divinity of the Greek mythology, linked to the cult of Demeter and Persephone. The statuette belongs to the second type of Baubo figurines, widespread in the last Ptolemaic and Roman period in Egypt. The Egyptian Baubo figures are split into two groups, and this one belongs to the first group depicting a woman seating frontally whilst holding a musical instrument. In some of these figurines her right hand is touching her genitalia. Many of them were used as amulets or as ex-voto.

Representing a slave or a dwarf in a crouched position, dressed in a short tunic leaving the left shoulder uncovered (exomis), a large curving phallus emerging from underneath the tunic topped with a large apotropaic eye; accompanied by a display stand. 64 grams, 81 mm (80 grams total, 10 cm high including stand)



The Erotica Collection Christian von Faber-Castell, Küsnacgt ZH, Switzerland, since the late 1970s.

Except for the enormous phallus, the figure is human in all aspects. The apotropaic aspect, symbolised also by the eye, is combined with the erotic. It should be pointed out that according to the physiognomic conceptions held in the ancient world, from the 4th century B.C. onwards, small-scale sculptures developed a rich repertoire of grotesque types. These so-called grotesques were a development of the Hellenistic interest in the human body and its imperfections. They range from representations of individuals with clinically diagnosable disfigurements to those with exaggerated physical features. According to some scholars, terracotta (and bronze) figurines of this kind were life-like representations of beggars and others who gathered at big feasts in temples or at the houses of the wealthy. In the latter case, they indicated the importance and wealth of the host because the more beggars an event attracted, the greater the fortune of the event organizer. By implication, the bronze and terracotta portraits of these marginal people could have become symbols and charms of good luck that would have been placed in private houses. Christian von Faber-Castell (born 1950) is a renowned German entrepreneur and art collector, best known as a member of the prominent Faber-Castell family, famed for their iconic writing instruments. A passionate advocate for art and culture, Christian von Faber-Castell curated an extensive and diverse private collection of erotica, spanning centuries and cultures. His collection reflects a deep appreciation for the interplay of beauty, sensuality, and artistic expression, bringing together rare and unique works that explore themes of intimacy and human connection. Pieces from this collection have been featured in notable exhibitions and are celebrated for their artistic and historical significance. This offering represents a rare opportunity to acquire works from one of the most fascinating and eclectic private collections of its kind.

Modelled in the round, with a dorsal pillar and a loop at the shoulder, the goddess is in hippopotamus form, with a human torso and arms and a crocodile tail. 7.9 grams, 50 mm



Private collection, Carouge, Switzerland, assembled in the 1980s-1990s. Thence by descent to the collection of Mr S.P., since 2020.